Swimming pool lighting fixture



June 29, 1965 R. G. M. DE GARMO 3,192,379

SWIMMING POOL LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed June 12, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1uINVENTOR l' RALPH GMDE GARMo l ATTORNEYS Julie 29",y 119651 R. G. M. DEcsl-vralvlo"v- 3,192,379* l swJI-MMING PooL LIGHTING FIXTURE FiledJune-12 1962?. 2 Sheets-Sheet- 2k RALPH GHDE GA'RMO ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent C 3,192,379 SWIMMING P091. LlGHTlNG FHXTURE Ralph G. M. DeGarino, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to Caseiia Lighting Co., SanFrancisco, Calif., a corporation of California Filed .inne 12, 1962,Ser. No. 201,972 2 Claims. (Cl. 24U-26) This invention relates generallyto lighting fixtures and more particularly it relates to an improvedillumination device for lighting a swimming pool below its water line.

Most swimming pools, particularly those located outdoors, require someform of artificial illumination below the water line. Not only is suchillumination necessary for safety purposes after daylight hours, butunderwater lighting also serves to beautify the pool at night time.

There has long been a need for a safe and reliable swimming poollighting fixture and yet one that is capable of producing high intensityillumination in the pool under the surface of the water without alsoproducing a glare above the pool surface. As a means of reducing theinherent safety hazard of pool lighting systems it is essential thatthey be operable by a low voltage power source.

This requirement is fulfled in the present invention by a uniquelighting fixture adapted to utilize relatively small but high intensitylight bulbs that operate in the 8 3() volt range. Such light bulbs as,for example, the recently developed quartz type bulbs, are commerciallyavailable and are not themselves a part of the present invention.However, a broad object of my invention is to provide `an underwaterlighting fixture capable of utilizing such small, high intensity lightbulbs and which will, in cornbination therewith provide a vastlyimproved quality of underwater lighting. In fullling this objectiveseveral problems connected with the use of such bulbs have been Yovercome. One problem with such bulbs lfor example, is that they producea large amount of heat which must be dissipated. In the presentinventionthe heat dissipation problem has been solved by means of anovel structure that enables the pool water to be utilized as a coolingmedium, thus making the installation of a high intensity light sourcecompletely safe in its operation and also capable of a long operationallife.

Another object of my invention is to provide .an underwater lightfixture for a swimming pool which provides illumination of a relativelyhigh intensity below the water level and yet which does not produce aglare that is visible from any point outside the pool. This is anextremely important feature because such above-water glare, that iscommon in prior art fixtures, makes it difficult to see clearly aroundthe pool apron, thus creating a safety hazard as well as greatlyimpairing the appearance of the lighted pool.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an underwaterlight fixture for a swimming pool that will produce a uniformdistribution of underwater illumination and one that can be readilyremoved from the wall of the pool and servicedwithout lowering the waterlevel of the pool.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light fixture adaptedfor installation below the water line of a pool` thatis unusually smalland compact, requires a minimal amount of `excavation to enable it to beflush mounted along the side wall of the pool.

A further object 'of the invention is lto provide a light fixture forswimming pools that is easy vto install and which can be readily removedfor servicing when required.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an underwater lightxture for a swimming pool adaptable for use in combination with arelatively small sized bulb of high lumen output and having means forcooling the bulb with water from the swimming pool.

Another object of the invention is to provide an underwater lightfixture of the aforementioned type that is safe and reliable and willnot short circuit when installed or after a long period of use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an underwater lightfixture made up of a combination of elements having `a particular easeof assembly and economy of manufacture.

Other objects, advantages, and features of my invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of one embodimentthereof presented in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a View in perspective and .in section of a swimming poolshowing a typical installation of an underwater light fixture embodyingthe principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a View in front elevation of the light fixture shown in FIG.l;

j FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation and in section taken along the line3--3 in FIG. 2; Y

FIG. 4 is a somewhat enlarged plan view in section of the light fixtureaccording to the invention and taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2; Y

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view in side elevation showing details of thelight fixture and taken along the line 5 5 of FIG. 2.

In FIG. 1 .a light fixture 1t) embodying the principles of the inventionis shown in a typical installation within a wall 11 of a swimming pool12. The fixture lil provides for underwater illumination of unusuallyhigh intensity and only one is normally required in any standard hometype pool or even in larger pools. As shown, the xture 10 may beinstalled from one to four feet vbelow the Water line and within acavity 13 formed in a pool wall at any desired location on the poolsperimeter.

The cavity 13 can be lined in concrete or tile or some similar materialand extending into it (as shown in FIGS. 3-5) is an electrical conduit14 comprising an outer layer of water-proof insulation and a pair ofwires 15 supplying a relatively low voltage current (ie. 8-30 volts).

Embedded in the pool wall and extending around the open mouth of thecavity 13 is a mounting frame 16 consisting of a strip of stainlesssteel or brass whose edge is flush with the surface of the pool wall 11.Attached to the side portions of the mounting frame 16 and alsopreferably embedded in the pool wall are a pair of mounting brackets 1'7each of which is provided with a fixed threaded stud 18 that extendsoutwardly from the pool wall 11.

Broadly speaking, the fixture 10, according to the invention, comprisesa housing 2t? in which is mounted a removable light bulb 21 and anadjacent reiiector device composed of two members 22 and 23 that divergeaway from the bulb 21 toward the open front of the housing. The lightbulb 21 is small and operates at a low voltage whil-e producing a highdegree of illumination. The open front of the housing 2t! is covered bya lens 24 that tioned that they prevent the filament of the light bulbi2l from being visible to persons outside the pool.

The housing 2i) is preferably cast as an integral member from somesuitable non-corrosive material such as bronze, and around its frontopen side it has an outwardly extending iiange around its perimeter,Extending from the rear side 29 of the housing 26 is an externallythreaded boss member 3@ having a tapered, inwardly-diverging opening 31extending into the housing 20. On the inside ofthe rear sidewall of thehousing are a pair of spaced apart integral boss members 32 each havinga tiat mounting surface 33 adapted to support thereon a horizontallyextending socket plate 34, The socket plate 34 is preferably made fromsome nonconducting material such as a laminated plastic and it serves tosupport both the light bulb 21 and its reflector 22. The socket plate 34is held tightly against the boss member 32 by a pair of stud members 35.Thestud members 35 have threaded end portions 36 of a reduced diameterthat extend through the socket plate 34 near its opposite ends and arerigidly secured within a pair of tapped holes in the boss members 32.The unthreaded portion of each stud 35 has a predetermined length withvided on the clips 45.

an internally threaded end opening 37. A first reflector v member 22having a vertical parabolic cross section is f xed to the stud members35 and hence to the housing 2% by means of a pair of screws 38 that arethreaded into the tapped end openings 37 of the stud members 35. Thismember 22 reiiects the light from the bulb 21 and controls the size ofthe beam therefrom in a vertical plane.

A pair of side reflector members 23 control the direc-l tion of thereflected light in the horizontal plane and are shaped toy lit withinthe first reflector member 22. Each member 23 is attached by a screw 40to the side walls 41 of the housing 20 near its mouth and together theyextend inwardly and diverge from the mouth of the housing within thecurvature of the first reflector 22 and along a generally parabolic lineof curvature. As shown in FIG. 4, each side reiiector member is providedwith a tab member 42 at its inner extremity which is .adapted to htwithin an opening 43 in the rst reiiector member 22, thus the clips 45in cross section each have a pair of contact arms 46 that are urgedconstantly together by the inherent spring tension of the clip to form agripping jaw. The ends 47 of the contact arms 46 on each clip 45 may beflared outwardly to facilitate the insertion of the light bulb 21. Atits opposite end each clip 45 has a looped portion 4S that is rigidlysecured by a screw 49 and a first nut '50 to the socket plate A secondnut 5l is attached to'each screw 49 and is taken up toward the first nutSii to retain a contact member 52 on the end of each supply wire i5. Theclips 45 extend parallel to each at substantially a right angle from thesocket plate 34 and through a pair of spaced apart openings 53 in theiirst reflector 22.

As stated above, the light source utilized in my fixture 1i) consists ofa low voltage but relatively high lumen output light bulb 21 thatprovides light of high intensity. Generally, I prefer to use a quartzbulb of the type that is available commercially but heretofore usedprimarily on aircraft. Each bulb 21 is relatively small in diameter andat each end is provided with a flat, knife-like contact member 55 thatis adapted to be inserted between and gripped by a pair of contact arms46 of the clips 45 that are normally urged together by spring tension.@ne of the contact arms of each pair of arms 46 is provided with adimple-like protuberance 56 that extends toward and is in register witha hole 57 in the immediately adjacent arm. The Contact members on thebulb 2i are each provided with .a hole 55 that is slightly larger thanthe protuberance 56 so that when the Contact members 55 are forcedbetween the contact arms 46, the protuberances 55 will extend into theholes 59 and at least partially into the holes 57 to lock the bulb 21firmly in position. This feature is extremely important because althoughthe bulb 21 is easily removable,'it is always maintained in a iixedpredetermined position in proper focus relative to the reiiectors 22 and23. This assures the optimum in illumination efficiency from thefixture. Moreover, the hrm locking grip on the bulb prevents any in orout movement and thus any inadvertent Contact with current carryingelements that could result in a short 4circuit within the fixture. n

In order to retain the maximum amount of reflective surface, theopenings 53 inthe reflector member 22 are kept small, and consequentlythe space around each clip 45 is limited. To further prevent anyyinadvertent contact between either of the light bulb contact members 55,and the retiector member`22 during the operation of the fixture, a pairof bent over positioning tabs 58 are pro- These limit the movement ofthe bulb contact arms 55 in a horizontal direction when installed andprevent any inadvertent short-circuiting contact. One of the advantagesof using a low voltage system` in accordance with the invention becomesapparent here, namely, that current carrying members when held firmlycanbe located close to other structure without the danger of arcing andcausing a malfunction.

The cover member 25 for my tixture performs several important functions.For one thing yit retainsthe housing 20 within the Wall cavity 13 ofthepool while simultaneously holding the lens 24 in position so that itcompletely covers the mouth kof the housing 20. The lens 24, which ispreferably of Pyrex sheet material, is sealed around the housing by agasket 60 having a generally U- shaped cross section that tits over theedgey of the lens 24 and extends completely around its perimeter. Thegasket 60 may be made of any suitable resilient material, but I preferto use a silicone rubber that is heat-resistant to withstandV thevarying temperatures produced by the light iixture 10. n l Y As shown,the cover member 25 has a generally rectangular shape and is alsopreferably made of bronze material with a layer of chrominum platingtolimprove its appearance. At its sides are provided a pair of carportions 61 with holes 62 that are spaced apart to align with thestudsliS extending from the mounting frame i6.

A central opening 63 also having a rectangular shape is provided in thecover 25. Spaced around the opening and inwardly from its edge are aseries 4offports 64 through the cover. The cover member is secured tothe outwardly extending ilange 28 `on the housing 20 by means of anumber of machine screws 65 adapted to extendthrough a series of spacedapart threaded holes 66 t located around the opening 63 and between theports 64. The ports 64 and holes 66 in the cover 25 all register with alseries of similar ports 67 andholes 68 in the housing ange 28 whenthese two members 20 and 25 are secured together. On the inner side ofthe cover 25 is a rectangular shaped ridge portion 69 through which theports 64 and holes 66 extend and which formsfa recessed shoulder 70 forretaining the lens 24 and its gasket 6i). As the cover 25 is drawn uptight against the housing flange 28 it presses against the lens gasket60 and confines it within the recess formed by the shoulder 70 therebyproviding a Huid-tight seal between the lens 24 and the housing 20. Y Y

Across the central opening 63 of the cover member 25 are the fixedspaced apart louvers 26 and 27 that serve to detiect the light from thexture 10 in the desired direcn tion. The upper louver 26 extendshorizontally and below the upper edge ofthe housing when the cover isattached thereto. Spaced below the upper louver 26 and parallel to it isthe lower louver 27. The lower edge of the louver 27 lies just above ahorizontal plane through the center axis of the bulb 21. The louvers arepreferably cast as integral portions of the cover 25, and they extendoutwardly and slant downwardly at a predetermined angle between them,their angle of downward slope, and their general location in the upperportion of the opening 63, they block any glaring view of the bulbfilament to a person around the pool above the water line. Yet thelouvers 26 and 27 do not interfere with the effective distribution oflight in the pool beneath the water level.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the conduit 14 from the electrical supplysource preferably is brought into the cavity 13 through its rear Walland into the housing 24B via the opening 31 in the boss member 30. Thehousing 2i) is sealed around the conduit 14 by means of a rubber orneoprene bushing 71 that fits tightly around the conduit 14 and in thetapered opening 31. The bushing 71 is held snugly in place by a Washer72 secured by an internally threaded nut '73 that fits around theconduit and is connected to the boss 3f?.

Aside from its-aforementioned advantages of producing the necessaryamount of underwater illumination in a `swimming pool Without the glareheretofore present, and of providing a low voltage system thateliminates the safety hazards heretofore prevalent in swimming poollighting systems, my invention -is remarkably easy to install andservice. The original installation can be accomplished with a minimum oflabor and expense since the cavity required is small and easily formed.Moreover, when the mounting frame 16 Iis in place and the electricalconduit 14 has been provided into the cavity 13, the lighting fixturecan be installed or removed for servicing quickly with complete safetyeven though the pool is filled with water above the cavity. Ininstalling the fixture the cover 25 is removed from the housing 20 andthe end of the conduit 14 is brought through the opening 31 in the boss30. The end contacts on the Wires 15 are attached to the terminalsprovided by the screws 49 and nuts Sti and are secured by the nuts 51.The rear of the housing is then sealed around the conduit by screwingthe nut 73 tightly on the boss 30 thus pressing the bushing 71 snuglyaround the conduit 142-. The reflectors 22 and 23 can now be secured bythe screws 38 and 40 and the bulb 21 is inserted by means of itscontacts 55 into the clips 45. The cover 2S is now secured by the screws65 to the housing 20 so that the lens 24 and its gasket 60 are `sealedin position around` the housing mouth. With the housing completelysealed, no water can enter it to contact the bulb 21 and the wirecontacts. The assembled cover plate and housing may now be attached tothe studs of the mounting assembly and secured by locking nuts 19.

The bulb 21, as stated previously, provides a very high degree of lightintensity because of the inherent efficiency of the tungsten filament,quartz bulb. Normally, to confine a bulb using this amount of powerwithin an enclosed housing would entail serious heat problems, however,with my invention the housing and the bulb within are constantly cooledby the circulation of water through the ports 64 and 67 and through thecavity 13 around the housing. This is an important feature of myinvent-ion because it prevents any overheating of the xture 10 even overlong periods of constant use.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, manychanges in construction and widely differing embodiments andapplications of the invention will suggest themeselves Without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and thedescription herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be inany sense limiting.

I claim:

1. An underwater lighting fixture adapted for installation in a cavityformed in the wall of a swimming pool and supplied with electrical powerby means of a conduit extending into the cavity, said fixturecomprising: an integral housing member having an open front surroundedby a flange and a rear opening for receiving said electrical conduit;

a socket plate fixed to the rear inside wall of said housing;

a first reflector member fixed to said socket plate;

a pair of second reflector members attached to the vside walls of saidhousing and to said first reflector member;

a light bulb adapted to produce a high intensity light at low voltage;

clip means attached to said socket plate for removably retaining saidlight bulb in a fixed predetermined position adjacent said reflectormeans, said light bulb having contact means extending through openingsin said first reflector member to engage said clip means;

said clip means including contact means within said housing adapted toconnect with wires of Vsaid electrical conduit;

means in said rear opening for providing a fluid tight seal around theelectrical supply conduit extending into said housing;

a transparent lens member covering the open side of said housing;

a cover frame member having an opening, and horizontal light deflectinglouvers across said opening adapted to obscure the light bulb filamentfrom view from a position above the water level of the pool; means forsecuring said cover member to said housing and gasket means for sealingsaid lens member to said housing around its edges, thereby making thehousing Vfluid tight;

and means for attaching said cover frame member to opposite sides of thecavity in the swimming pool Wall located below its normal water line sothat it supports said housing within said cavity, said cover framemember having a series of spaced apart ports for circulating coolingwater from the swimming pool through said cavity and completely aroundsaid housing.

2. An underwater lighting fixture adapted for installation in a cavityformed in the wall of a swimming pool and supplied with electrical powerby means of a conduit extending into the cavity, said fixturecomprising:

an integral housing member having an open front surrounded by a flangeand a fluid tight rear opening for receiving said electrical conduit;

a socket plate fixed to the rear inside Wall of said housing;

a filrst curved reflector member fixed to said socket p ate;

a pair of second reliector members attached to the side lwalls of saidhousing and to said first reflector mema light bulb adapted to produce ahigh intensity light at low voltage;

clip means attached to said socket plate for removably retaining saidlight bulb adjacent said reflector means, said light bulb having contactmeans extending through spaced apart openings in said first reflectormember to engage said clip means;

said clip means including locking detents and guiding tabs for retainingsaid bulb in a fixed predetermined position relative to said firstreflector member;

said clip means further including terminal means adapted to connect withwires of said electrical conduit;

means in said rear opening for providing a fluid tight seal around theelectrical supply conduit extending into said housing;

a transparent lens member covering the open side of said housing;

a cover frame member having an opening and attached to the ilange ofsaid housing;

horizontal light deecting louvers across said opening adapted toobscurev the light bulb filament from view from a position above theWater level of the pool;

means for sealing said lens member to said housing around yits edges,thereby making the housing iluid tight;

and means for attaching said cover frame member to opposite sides of thecavity in the swimming pool Wall located below its normal Water line sothat it vsupports said housing within said cavity, said cover framemember in said housing ange having a series of spaced apart ports forcirculating cooling Water from the swimming pool through said cavity andcompletely around said housing therein.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STA'VTESA yPATENTS Zigler240-46.31 Everson A240-26 X Rothen 240-26 Cartun 313-318 X Moehler313--318 X Steiner et al. 240-26 Ogier et-al. 24U-11.4 X Moore 24U-11.4X

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

JGSEPH D. BEIN, Examiner.

1. AN UNDERWATER LIGHTING FIXTURE ADAPTED FOR INSTALLATION IN A CAVITYFORMED IN THE WALL OF A SWIMMING POOL AND SUPPLIED WITH ELECTRICAL POWERBY MEANS OF A CONDUIT EXTENDING INTO THE CAVITY, SAID FIXTURECOMPRISING: AN INTEGRAL HOUSING MEMBER HAVING AN OPEN FRONT SURROUNDEDBY A FLANGE AND A REAR OPENING FOR RECEIVING SAID ELECTRICAL CONDUIT; ASOCKET PLATE FIXED TO THE REAR INSIDE WALL OF SAID HOUSING; A FIRSTREFLECTOR MEMBER FIXED TO SAID SOCKET PLATE; A PAIR OF SECOND REFLECTORMEMBERS ATTACHED TO THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING AND TO SAID FIRSTREFLECTOR MEMBER; A LIGHT BULB ADAPTED TO PRODUCE A HIGH INTENSITY LIGHTAT LOW VOLTAGE; CLIP MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID SOCKET PLATE FOR REMOVABLYRETAINING SAID LIGHT BULB IN A FIXED PREDETERMINED POSITION ADJACENTSAID REFLECTOR MEANS, SAID LIGHT BULB HAVING CONTACT MEANS EXTENDINGTHROUGH OPENINGS IN SAID FIRST REFLECTOR MEMBER TO ENGAGE SAID CLIPMEANS; SAID CLIP MEANS INCLUDING CONTACT MEANS WITHIN SAID HOUSINGADAPTED TO CONNECTED WITH WIRES OF SAID ELECTRICAL CONDUIT; MEANS INSAID REAR OPENING FOR PROVIDING A FLUID TIGHT SEAL AROUND THE ELECTRICALSUPPLY CONDUIT EXTENDING INTO SAID HOUSING; A TRANSPARENT LENS MEMBERCOVERING THE OPEN SIDE OF SAID HOUSING; A COVER FRAME MEMBER HAVING ANOPENING, AND HORIZONTAL LIGHT DEFLECTING LOUVERS ACROSS SAID OPENINGADAPTED TO OBSCURE THE LIGHT BULB FILAMENT FROM VIEW FROM A POSITIONABOVE THE WATER LEVEL OF THE POOL; MEANS FOR SECURING SAID COVER MEMBERTO SAID HOUSING AND GASKET MEANS FOR SEALING SAID LENS MEMBER TO SAIDHOUSING AROUND ITS EDGES, THEREBY MAKING THE HOUSING FLUID TIGHT; ANDMEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID COVER FRAME MEMBER TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THECAVITY IN THE SWIMMING POOL WALL LOCATED BELOW ITS NORMAL WATER LINE SOTHAT IT SUPPORTS SAID HOUSING WITHIN SAID CAVITY, SAID COVER FRAMEMEMBER HAVING A SERIES OF SPACED APART PORTS FOR CIRCULATING COOLINGWATER FROM THE SWIMMING POOL THROUGH SAID CAVITY AND COMPLETELY AROUNDSAID HOUSING.